Earth Dragon

Chapter Eight

Quite a bit of time has passed. I've been completely bogged down by training. The whole one-on-one thing is because this shit is intense. It's Simon barking orders, explaining all sorts of super cool but rather overwhelming things to me, and putting me and Sienna through drills. I'm starting to understand when she and Fang talk because Simon is teaching me their language, and I've never felt better about my body.

Trust me. Work out and run every day, increasing distance every time over hilly terrain, for a month and you probably will too. Just don't eat as much as I have been, though. Dragon metabolism kicks human metabolism's ass.

The leaves are almost completely gone now. The ground is frozen pretty solid and it's snowed several times over the last week and has stuck. I'm sitting in comfy sweats on the couch snuggled up to Mason because we're good again. I finally managed to get him alone and we had a knock-down-drag-out verbal fight that left us both tired, drained, and ready to make up.

Oh, and I'm wearing his ring now, too. He took me out to a fancy dinner and popped the question over a bottle of the restaurants' finest merlot. I'd forgiven him and I know I love him, so I said yes and we celebrated like we've never celebrated before.

Simon didn't seem happy at the news, but I think he's made his peace with it.

Lily, of course, is over the moon happy and keeps harassing us about picking a date. I think she just wants to help me plan it, but I'm not ready for that right now. My training is almost done and I'm not making any other big decisions until then.

I know, right? Sienna and I aren't going to beat the three-week record, but we're not going to take years either. We're rocking this shit. We've truly bonded and become one with each other. It's the best. I'm really happy about almost everything in my life right now. The only exception is...Courtney.

She hasn't been around much. I know I've been super busy too, but I feel like she's avoiding me since I told her about the engagement. I call and text her often, but she doesn't get back to me right away and doesn't always answer anymore. I'm worried about that and I really want to fix things between us.

I take a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.
"What's wrong, babe?" Mason asks, nuzzling my neck affectionately.

"Thinking about Courtney again." He knows, of course.

"You should go over there."

"When?" I demand, because I only have a few more minutes before Simon's going to show up and recommence our training session. I get more breaks now because of how well I've been doing. Score. But I don't get the kind of time I'd need for a real heart-to-heart with my bestie. It could take me hours to pull whatever's bothering her out of her and then we'd still have to talk it out after navigating all the smoke screens she's sure to throw my way. You know, all the little things that are bothering her, but aren't the real problem.

"When training is over, I guess," he replies with his own sigh. See, that's what I thought. "Until then, maybe you should give her some space?"

"You mean, stop calling and texting?"

He nods.

"I suppose." I don't like it, but he's probably right. At this point she could probably file a harassment suit against me and get a restraining order. Not that she would, of course. Still. He's right. I relax into him again for just a moment before I hear a car slow outside, racing footsteps, then a window shatters and Mason throws me to the floor and covers my body with his.

What the fuck? I hear the car racing away and Simon's footsteps as he comes down the hall from the direction of his room. "Danae? Mason?" he demands, his face cut in hard, angry lines as he takes in the damage to the front window.